Meiji Kenkaku Romantan In America
by Cat Foxglove
Summary: It's the same group, but in a new time and setting. What happens when a writer and a history scholar find that their interests intertwine? There's only one way to find out...
1. Default Chapter

_Well, I'm back…_

_I suppose you could call this the revenge of my muse, but really, it's more creative frustration letting itself out after a long dormancy period._

_What happens when the RK cast is pushed forward in time, and into another country? What jobs would they work? How would their characters be different, and how would they be similar? I know some people will complain that I haven't been true to the original characters, but no American woman now would act the way a woman in Meiji Japan was supposed to act, not that the women in the show did, for that matter. It's a different country and a different time period. So the characters must adapt to fit the setting. Besides, it isn't called AU for nothing._

Meiji Kenkaku Romantan…In America

Rated R for language and possible adult themes.

Cat Foxglove, 2005

* * *

Take One 

It had been a good dream, as far as his dreams had gone lately…that is, until hail started to fall on the roof of his dream house. Or was it a train rushing past? Whatever it was, it was almost enough to jolt him awake. Almost, but not quite, especially as it subsided after a few seconds. No, what pulled him into a semi-conscious state was the ringing of the phone, and what woke him up fully was the sound of one of his oldest and closest friends' voice.

"Sanosuke Sagara, get your lazy ass out of bed NOW!"

Sano groaned and looked at the clock, then cured and shot out of bed. "Shit! You've got the key, right, Missy? Make me a cuppa, could ya?"

Kaoru snorted and let herself into the apartment. "Move your ass, Sano. Megumi will throttle you if you're late, and I'm sure that Hiko would LOVE to lord the fact that you were late on the first day of school over your head for the entire semester."

"Yeah yeah yeah…how the hell long does instant coffee take to make!"

"Not as long as it takes you to get dressed and get your stuff together. Let's GO!"

When he emerged from the bedroom, she was standing by the door, coffee in one hand and his bag in the other. "Lucky for you that Meg packed this last night. How late were you two up, anyway?"

"Um…" Sano muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" She shoved him out of the apartment and locked the door. "I didn't quite catch that, Rooster."

"Four, alright!"

"Four? In the morning? For god's sake, Sano!"

"Whaat?"

"Never mind. Take your damn coffee, and get in the car."

* * *

The school was quiet at seven in the morning, especially on the first day. As the students wouldn't be arriving until eight, Kaoru and Sano had enough time to run a few laps around the track before prepping for their first period class. It was a routine that they had set up several years before, when both had worked at a different school, but this was Kaoru's first year at Spring Brook High. Sano was glad to see her again. 

"Oy! Half an hour before we have to go get ready!"

Sano blinked, and stared at her back. She'd lapped him. She'd fucking LAPPED him!

"Wench! You did NOT just lap me!"

"Get over it!"

Ten minutes later, Sano finally caught up. He'd forgotten that she'd been on their high school track team as well, way back when. Apparently she'd kept training throughought college and grad school as well. However, he mused, as she was shorter she oughtn't to be able to keep…

"Up?" He stared. She'd lapped him again! He raced to catch her. "Missy, how is it that you've lapped me twice?"

"You stopped moving twice."

"Shit!"

"I'm done. You've still got twenty before the busses arrive. They've got you working crossing, right?"

"Yeah. I'll run later. Have to grab a shower."

"Same here. Catch you after school?"

"Yeah. Race you!"

"You're on, rooster!"

"Hey! I didn't mean now!"

Kaoru's only reply was a laugh as she jogged off in the direction of the locker rooms. Oh yeah, thought Sano. It was good to have his best friend back on board.


	2. Chapter 2

_And here's chapter two! It's getting close to finals now, so I'll either be doing a lot of writing to get my mind off of my papers, or I'll be doing a lot of writing to finish my papers. Either way…it's going to mean a lot of time sitting in front of the computer._

_The plot thickens, and more characters are introduced. Well, one major character._

_Also, if any of you have ideas for a new title for this soon-to-be monster, please tell me._

* * *

Take Two 

The library was a peaceful place after its summer rest. Kenshin smiled, watching dust particles float in the sunlight that streamed through the windows. Sighing happily, he set about "waking up" his sanctuary. Soon, he hoped, there would be students arriving who would be eager to take advantage of the resources available, and children circling up for story-time. Well, he knew the little kids would be excited…but he couldn't say as much for the older ones, as they tended to prefer whispering quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, in the many nooks and crannies provided by shelves and window seats. That, or they were seated in front of the ancient computers, surfing the web and muttering about how much the administration needed to shell out in order upgrade "educational technology." The school _was_ a bit behind the times in some respects; the card catalogue was only being made electronic that year.

He frowned suddenly. Tomoe hadn't come home the previous night. Despite what some of his coworkers might have believed, he wasn't naive. He knew that she was probably cheating on him, but he couldn't bring himself to accuse his wife of such an act. Oh well, he thought. What would happen would happen and he'd have to work it out when it did. He was braced to be hurt every day, for he felt her pulling back. She never had been overly-enthusiastic about their marriage - he knew he didn't make enough money for her tastes - but he'd thought that she'd been willing to try and make it work.

He shook his head and flipped on the lights. It wasn't worth the worry at the moment. The library was ready for the day, and he could hear the school buses pulling into the parking lot, so he headed down to the amphitheater - Greek theater, he muttered to himself - for the opening assembly. He smiled as the kids ran down the steps to sit, hiding his discomfort as some of the girls stared at him, then ran off, giggling. He was well aware that many of them were infatuated with him, and it never ceased to disturb him when they looked at him that way…and they knew he was married!

He started as a hand was clapped on his shoulder. "Sano!"

"Who're the girls this time, Casanova?"

"Sano, you know I hate it when it happens."

"Yeah, yeah, you're only twenty-eight. You still look like you're in college."

"Sano, shut up before I deck you."

"I'd like to see that, but on your own time, Mr. Sagara, Mr. Himura," came a deep voice.

"Ah! Mr. Brown! I'm sorry…first-day scenario…"

"Yes, yes, let's hope that none of _these_ girls ask you to marry them."

"Eric!" Kenshin went bright red. "You know how much I hate it. They're my students!"

"At least I know the faculty at this school have higher morals about teacher-student relationships than in other districts."

"And I'm happily married!"

"Are you really?"

"Don't you have a speech to give, Eric?" Kenshin's normally placid face was pulled into a near-snarl, and it shook Eric Brown. He'd known that something was wrong, but if Kenshin's marriage was falling apart despite all of the effort that he'd put into it over the past three years…Heaven only knew he slaved to keep his wife happy, and she wasn't at all grateful, the witch, he thought. Kenshin had always been quiet about his personal life, and Eric wasn't one to pry. Not everyone had a happy home life after all.

Sano shook his head and went to talk to Kaoru. He noticed with some amusement that a few of the younger men in the staff were staring at her, as were some of the boys. He had to admit that she was a gorgeous woman, but she just wasn't his type. Besides, if her _were_ to ever go out with her, it'd be like dating a sister! He'd never be able to think of Kaoru in any other way as they'd grown up together…joined at the hip, as their parents used to say. Even into their teens, they'd still been staying at each others houses, in the same room. Their parents had trusted them to not do anything, and knew their children well enough to realize that they wouldn't never be close in _that_ way.

Kaoru looked up as he came to stand beside her. "Meg's getting jealous, Rooster."

"Nah, she knows we're only friends. But you should see how the guys are looking at you."

"I do hope that you're referring to the faculty. If you are, then they'll know soon enough that they aren't going to get anywhere."

"You're a hot woman, Missy, and all they're doing is looking."

"Whatever."

"You're still scared, aren't you?"

Kaoru gave him a cold look. "Wouldn't you be?"

"Yeah…he was a real basket case. Good thing they've got him behind bars."

"That doesn't stop my nightmares." Kaoru blinked as her name was called. All heads in the gym turned her way as Mr. Brown introduced her, and she grinned. When the students were dismissed, she and Sano accompanied the rest of the PE instructors to the office. As she and Sano were working together, they both had a block of free time before their first class

"So, we've got til ten-thirty. Want to finish that run?"

"Actually, I was thinking of hitting the weight room."

"Since when do you lift?"

"Since I took up self-defense. Martial arts are great, but if you don't have the strength to heave a guy off your back who outweighs you by at least seventy-five pounds and had six inches on you, they only go so far."

"Point. Let's go. I'll bet you can't bench 175."

"No, but I can still kick your ass."

* * *

_Ugh, how I hate cold rain…and oh how I'm looking forward to summer and Otakon._

_Please, leave a little review in the little box._


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